The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1887-05-11


keting.
SETTING TREES.
If the land is moist where trees are
to be set it should be first drained, as a
cold, heavy soil would almost insure
death to the tree. The ground should
be well plowed and muck and ashes, as
we'll as decomposed dressing, added to
the soil. The hole into which the tree
is to be set should be larger than for its
immediate wants, in order that the soil
around may be well loosened and thus
prepared for new roots. A hole two
feet deep and five or six feet square is
better than smaller one. If one has,
or can easily procure, bones it would
pay well to put half bushel in the
hole and mix ashes and muck with the
soil which is to be thrown back around
the tree. The subsoi taken out, having
been previously thrown by itself, should
be placed upon the surface, which will
help keep the grass back for awhile.
Afterwards keep them well mulched.
MULCHING.
Many orchardists claim great success
in mulching. i used to haul few
loads of green brakes around some of
my trees and was well satisfied with
the result. 1t is said that wherever soil
is shaded-whether by boards, rocks or
mulch-a chemical action takes place
beneficial to it. l had large Baldwin
tree that bore less than barrel in the
odd year and none in the even. There
was not life enough in the tree to make
much perceptible growth. l could not
get cions from it worth setting. After
blowing and cultivating about it, by the
use of ashes and manure l increased its
yield to three and one-half barrels in
the even year and six and one-half
in the odd year following. After that
it remained an odd-year tree and l cut
over thousand cions from it to set in
other trees upon the farm.
GRATING.
The Importance of grating every tree
will readily be seen from the fact that
grated fruit generally sells at from
three to five times the price of cider
apples. You also throw upon the mar
ket healthful fruit that's an advantage
to all and lessen the raising of COM
paratively worthless article, even if its
juice, when well worked, does have
the eXhilarating effect of raising the
ambition of some to that pitch which
cannot be sustained in sober times.
think it pays to graft old trees, if the
trunks are sound, but care should be
taken not to be in too great haste
about it. The change to the tree is so
great that one should be not less than
three years about the work. Never
use suckers for cions; they are thrifty
and inviting, as far as appear is
concerned, but are very late about
bearing, preferring to grow wood.
Cions should generally be taken from
last years growth and from thrifty
limbs. l prefer cleft grating. Split
carefully, if the stock is free, so that the
pressure shall be sufficient to keep the
cions in place firmly. Saw two or more
inches above knots and branches, when
convenient, so that the stock will split
straight and close evenly around the
cion. Have the cion trife thicker on
the outer edge, just under the outside
bud, so that the pressure shall be sure
to come there. Let the cion spread a
little from the stock, so as to be sure of
a union of the sap of the stock with
that of the cion. Use liberal amount
of wax to keep everything air-tight
and leave it a little rising in the CEN
ter, between the cions, so as to throw
off the water that might accumulate
there. If there are many limbs left
unfit for grating take two or three
years in clearing the tree of them.
Avoid grating horizontal limbs.
GRAFTING-wAX.
use wax made from the following
recipe: Six pounds of resin, one pound
OF beeswaX and one pint of linseed oil.
Cut up the wax and put it in an iron
kettle, with the resin, over slow fire.
When dissolved add the oil, stir,
and then pour the whole into tub of
cold water, having previously arranged
for three or four to help work it, using
little lard upon the hands.
Almost any person having Yankee
ingenuity can learn to graft successfully
after few trials, and it is very fascin-
ating work.